Method for synthesising colloidal suspensions of nanorods

Abstract

A process for synthesizing La1-a-bAaBbPO4 nanorods, A being chosen from Y, Sc, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Gd, Tb and mixtures thereof, B being a luminescence-activating dopant chosen from Eu, Yb, Er, Tm, Dy, Ho and mixtures thereof, with 0≤a≤0.5 and 0≤b≤0.2 the process involving: a. the preparation of an acidic mother liquor having a pH of between 1.0 and 3.0 by mixing at least, or even by mixing only: a solvent, a first constituent providing La3+ ions, a second constituent, in excess, providing PO43− ions, if a>0, a third constituent providing A3+ ions, if b>0, a constituent providing luminescence-activating dopant ions B3+, in amounts such that, in the mother liquor, the ratio of the number of moles of PO43− ions to the number of moles of La3+ ions and, where appropriate, A3+ and/or B3+ ions is between 1.10 and 1.50, and b. heating the mother liquor under hydrothermal conditions at a heating temperature above 120° C. until La1-a-bAaBbPO4 nanorods of monazite crystallographic structure are obtained.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.